Newport County are within reach of the automatic promotion places in League Two.
They are currently sixth and could go third with a win against Morecambe FC at the Globe Arena on Saturday (3pm).
County would need other results to go their way, but they are within each of Lincoln City (home to Mansfield), Coventry (away v Cambridge United) and Accrington Stanley (away v Chesterfield).
Manager Mike Flynn seems hopeful that captain Joss Labadie or defender Mark O’Brien could be fit to face Morecambe, while strikers Shawn McCoulsky, who has scored three times this season, and Lamar Reynolds are in Newport’s squad for the trip north.
“I’ll make a late decision on one of them,” said Flynn, although he would not be drawn on whether Labadie or O’Brien is closest to playing.
“We missed Joss because he has been exceptional this season. I’m almost certain that Lamar and Shawn will be back, so there’s two back into the squad.
“Lamar was on the bench in midweek against Chesterfield, but I just thought that with Frank’s (Nouble) presence it was almost a case of giving Lamar that extra bit of time.
“Frank was carrying a niggle as well so fair play to him. He played the game with half an injury and still put in a good shift and caused them problems.
“That’s the kind of team ethic we’ve got here now, people really want to be out on that pitch and it’s pleasing for me to see.”
Three of Newport’s next five fixtures are away. The two home matches are against Grimsby Town and Yeovil Town, while they travel to Morecambe on Saturday, Crawley and Luton.
Newport have won three and drawn three of their seven league fixtures this season, having won 1-0 against Cheltenham Town at home in midweek when Padraig Amond scored the only goal.
Flynn’s team are planning to maintain momentum among the leading teams in League Two, while hosts Morecambe will again be without suspended striker Vadaine Oliver.
Striker Rhys Turner could be back after a hamstring injury and Alex Kenyon is fit after knee trouble in a Morecambe team who haven’t win since beating Cheltenham Town 2-1 on the opening day of the season.
They are 20th in the table and are without a win in their last eight league and cup fixtures. Morecambe have failed to score in four of their last six matches, but fought back from 2-0 down against Yeovil in midweek to earn a draw.
Bentley admits his team are running at ’75-80 per cent’, but says: “We’ve been in every game. We haven’t been smashed by anybody.”
Newport County, probable: Day, Pipe (capt), White, Demetriou, Bennett, Butler, Dolan, Owen-Evans, Rigg, Nouble, Amond.
Subs, from: Cole, Quigley, Bittner (gk), Jahraldo-Martin, Willmott, Tozer, Reynolds, McCoulsky.
